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June 26, 2004
Roots & Wings
There’s this part in the movie ‘Sweet Home Alabama” where Melanie (the lead character) is sitting in a coon dog cemetery with Jake (her high school sweetheart & ‘ex’-husband). She is telling him about how she is happy in New York, and comes down to Alabama, spends time with old friends and her family for the first time in seven years, and is happy there too. He looks at her and says, “You can have both roots and wings.”
Six years ago I graduated from high school, and moved down to Ames. I’ve been here ever since, and have built a life and found friends that I would have never had in my small-minded little town. I have been amazed at how great it is. I’m not sure that there has been a day gone by where I have not been incredibly grateful for the friends that have come into my life. When I was in Estherville, I was made fun of and became the victim of many a practical joke…not in love or fun, but out of meanness. There were a lot of people who came and went in my life, but only a couple long-lasting friendships. It’s sad, and as I’ve ‘found’ my life here, I have left that part of me behind.
But, there’s much more to roots than a person’s friends. I think in all of my memories of my hometown I often forget my family: my mom, dad, brother, and sister who were always there to me and have always loved me. I wouldn’t be the person I am, or have any of the relationships that I do without their constant love and support during those crap years of my life. Yet, somehow I find myself forgetting my roots…forgetting them, and how those deep, strong roots have helped me to become someone who is well-adjusted in the face of adversity and not defeated by the attacks of the people in this world.
As I am preparing for this new phase in life, and going back to school…as I get ready to continue flying towards the dreams in my life, I don’t want to continue to forget…it’ll just cost too much. As I forget where I came from, I forget a big part of who I am and how I got here. And, though parts of it were crap…there were some amazing parts of it as well.
Posted by Angelina at 09:44 PM | Comments (2)
June 24, 2004
Plans have changed...
I was gearing up for a weekend in the Windy City, to hang with my friends and then my plans changed. I found out my brother is nearby in a rehab center getting help for his drug addiction. I am not sure how long he will be there, and feel like I am supposed to go see him instead of heading out this weekend.
I share this with you, my friends, family, acquaintances because I just want to ask you to be praying for my brother and his family. His name is Chris, he and his girlfriend Kristine have four kids (Austin, Michael, Hanna, & Mikayla). If you could would you pray that my brother is able to completely rid his life of his drug habit? That he would experience real life change so that he can be a better support to Kristine and father to his kids? He has been astranged from the kids for a few months now, and I would love nothing more than to see him be able to be with them and create a stable family environment for them to finish growing up in.
Posted by Angelina at 01:25 PM | Comments (2)
June 17, 2004
Yes, Lord.
Today was one of those unbelieveably long days at work...the kind that drag on and on so slowly that you are amazed at what time it actually is because it feels like it hasn't even been an hour.
Yesterday on the other hand...yesteday was a wonderful day. To start with...I didn't have to work, at all! We had a women's ministry planning meeting all day. And by all day, I mean 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. Now, you would think that would be a LONG day...but it wasn't. It felt like a 2 hour meeting, it went by so quickly. And I'm quite sure that we could have sat in the same room for quite some time more and not run out of things to talk about!
After that, I felt so energized that I unexpectedly went to Des Moines with everyone to hear Herschel Martindale speak at Drake. It was on of the most powerful messages I've heard in a long time. God spoke to my heart with the right words at the exact right time...it was amazing. Herschel was talking about the Great Comission and following up those you see accept Christ.
One of the points that he made was that everyone has friends, that friends talk and respond to their friends, and that the only way we would not be able to reach our friends with the Gospel is if we say that we cannot. He asked, "What would happen if you just said, 'Yes, Lord."
And it hit me like a ton of bricks! I fall into the lie of believing that because I'm not what I would consider a gifted evangelist that I could never have an impact on the lives of people who have not accepted the gift of salvation in Christ. It is so simple, yet it is so true. the Great Comission is for all believers, not just those who are gifted in sharing the Gospel. It is for me, weak, insecure me.
To be honest, this frightens me. But you know what? It's simple. I can be a friend to someone. I can keep being a friend to that person, and eventually they will see my life, see the difference that Christ has made in it. And the thing about friends IS that friends talk. I will get to know them, and they will want to know me, what a perfect way to be able to share the truth in love.
I can only hope and pray that my life will be used to impact the eternal Kingdom in some way...but I know one thing for sure, and that is I'm not going to say 'No." to God anymore. I want my heart to say, "Yes, Lord, use me in anyway that you can, show me how."
Posted by Angelina at 04:34 PM | Comments (1)
June 15, 2004
Being in charge
Today was one of those days when I hate my job (the one at McDonald's). I was the manager in charge over lunch (11-2) which is conicidentally our busiest time of the day. It was my first time since working at West, and it was a mess today!! People were waiting 20 minutes in line, in one case more. Ouch!! And one lady yelled at me for a good ten minutes...that just kind of tears you down (and it does so in front of your crew and your customers).
But, I'm humbled. So often I think I'm pretty dang good at my job, and for the most part I am, but I've still got a long way to go before I'm perfect at anything in my life. Man, do I ever wish that I was perfect....
In other news, I've been reading a book by Elisabeth Elliot called: "Discipline: The Glad Surrender." In the latest chapter I've read she talks about God's sovereignty...
"It is a great relief when somebody else is in charge. He knows what he's doing and all you need to do is follow directions. You do not rebel at his telling you what to do, you are glad to be told. He knows more than you do, knows the best way to accomplish what you want to accomplish, and you are sure you will be better off with him, than without him, happier by obeying than by disobeying."
I think about the feeling I had today when all was caving in around me at work, and I just wished that there was someone to take charge of things. But then so often in my life I go and go and go and try to take control of my life like I know what's best. In comparison to God...I know so little about my life, and I know I'd be much happier letting him have all of it. But, I try to take ahold of any piece I can because I'm proud, and think I'm perfect. I'm not though. Maybe someday this one will get easier for me...
Posted by Angelina at 03:02 PM | Comments (1)
June 14, 2004
Matt Rocks
I must say that color envy set in today upon viewing Em's pink blog, but thankfully Matt rocks and wasn't (well, hopefully he wasn't) too annoyed by my request for color. So, it's not white, thee isn't a hint of orange it's....blue. Enjoy.
Posted by Angelina at 02:27 PM | Comments (3)
One Crazy Summer
This summer is indeed crazy for me. I am working two jobs again (McDonald's & Exceed) and I'm finding it hard to have much of a routine, or a blog for that matter. Sorry 'bout that. Last week was pretty crazy busy, but hopefully this week will be a little nicer.
Tonight, this afternoon, whatever you call it. I have to this crew rally for McDonald's. I'm not sure how I feel about this. I mean, it's basically a big hoopla for Mickey D's. Hmm. It has the potential to be nauseatingly cheezy. I don't think I'm up for that, but whatever...I get paid.
Now lately I haven't as much been entertained by people's stupidity at work so much as annoyed. Amazingly enough, it isn't even the customers who are the cause of my annoyance, but my co-workers. So, today a McDonald's Moment of a different flavor......
There's this nice man named Ricky who comes in everyday around 11:20 or so. He orders pretty much the same thing: either a #2, #3, or #11, but he asks for a small fry no salt and a large coke instead of the large fry and medium drink. Ricky has been coming to McD's for lunch everyday since I started, and probably long before then. He used to come into the Campus store (pause for a moment of silence for the closing of McD's in campustown), now he comes to West, where I am working.
But, you see.....this concept of a substiution is too much for the employees at West. EVERY DAY he asks for the same thing, EVERY DAY the order taker gets so confused that she gives him a meal with large fry, medium drink AND a small fry AND a large drink. Hmmm. EVERY DAY I 'politely' go back to the back booth and say, "Hey, this is Ricky, just charge him for a meal and we'll substitute the fries and drink." But no, she is utterly conviced that he does in fact want extra french fries and an extra soda.
It has become a painful process....so much so that poor Ricky decided to just get a regular meal now instead of asking for his usual. Now, come on.....I realize it's a bit out of the ordinary, but after THREE weeks, you would think somebody would catch on that it's just what he gets. The levels of stupidity & lack of common sense astound me.
Posted by Angelina at 01:37 PM | Comments (4)
June 07, 2004
Not much witty inspirations...
...so I thought that I would just share a couple verses that I've read in the past couple of days.
"Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules." -Colossians 2:20
"I have set the Lord always before me.
Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken." -Psalm 16:8
"No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs--he wants to please his commanding officer." -2 Tim 2:4
I've been thinking a lot about truly setting my sights on the Lord and what will please him in and about my life. I wish I had it figured out....that I lived a life full of discipline, and that I was able to focus solely on him and not be distracted by the things of this world.
Posted by Angelina at 05:23 PM | Comments (3)